New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday acquitted Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena in a 25-year-old defamation case filed by social activist Medha Patkar, stating that Patkar had failed to substantiate her allegations. The verdict was delivered by First Class Judicial Magistrate Raghav Sharma.
The case, dating back to 2000, arose after Patkar filed a lawsuit against Saxena for publishing advertisements she claimed were defamatory. In March 2025, the court had rejected Patkar’s plea to summon additional witnesses, observing that it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to delay proceedings rather than a genuine need.
Background of the Legal Dispute
The legal battle between Patkar and Saxena spans over two decades. Patkar’s suit accused Saxena and the ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’ (NBA) of publishing defamatory content. At the time, Saxena, then head of the Ahmedabad-based NGO Council for Civil Liberties, had filed two counter-cases in 2001, alleging that Patkar made disparaging remarks on a TV channel and in print media against him.
Who is Medha Patkar?
Medha Patkar is a renowned Indian social activist and the founder of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, which advocates for the rights of tribals and farmers displaced by large development projects, such as the Sardar Sarovar Dam. Her activism over more than 40 years has focused on rehabilitation, environmental conservation, and social justice. For her work, she was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1992.
The court’s ruling marks the conclusion of one of India’s longest-standing defamation disputes, reinforcing the importance of concrete evidence in civil litigation.
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